Beaver Creek: We are committed to providing new activities for everyone to enjoy the beautiful and iconic nature of our mountain

10/03/2013

Beaver Creek Resort officials today reiterated their commitment to bring more people, especially children and families, to experience the outdoors by way of three new recreational activities the resort is building at the top of its Buckaroo Express Gondola.

The activities – a summer tubing hill, a ropes challenge course and a Forest Flyer – are being constructed on private land that Vail Resorts owns alongside existing ski operations, and have been reviewed by all the required local governmental entities.

"These new summer activities will allow a broader group of kids from different income and diverse backgrounds to enjoy and experience what Beaver Creek and the mountains are all about,” said Doug Lovell, vice president and COO of Beaver Creek. “These new activities will engage kids and allow us to educate them about the mountain environment and ecosystem through play and fun. Beaver Creek has a 30-plus year track record of industry leading guest service and doing so in a way that always delivers on our brand promise. The new activities followed a very public process and will absolutely live up to all of those ideals.”

Last week, construction got under way for the new summer tubing operation, located in approximately the same location as the winter tubing hill near the Ranch and at the top of the family-friendly Buckaroo Express Gondola. Construction for the ropes challenge course and Forest Flyer (to be built in the Ranch area and up to Allie’s Cabin in gladed terrain) will begin weather-permitting and these activities will be available on a year-round basis.

“We have spent nearly eight years carefully crafting a plan to best respond to the concerns expressed by homeowners in 2006-2007 around the location and impacts of an alpine slide with a dramatically different plan,” Lovell said. “We abandoned the proposed alpine slide and the Haymeadow location entirely by moving up and out of this area with three different recreational activities (a summer tubing hill, a ropes challenge course, and a Forest Flyer) in the area of the Ranch and up to Allie’s Cabin. This is the right location because the activities, all determined to be uses by right on our private property by Eagle County, can be effectively and efficiently accessed via existing infrastructure, the Buckaroo Express Gondola and the existing Ranch building.

“The location out of and above the Haymeadow, as well as the Flyer apparatus versus an alpine slide, also mitigate prior concerns around sight lines and noise,” Lovell added. “There have always been people against new innovations at ski resorts and we do have guests and homeowners who would like us to eliminate snowboarding or terrain parks at Beaver Creek – seeing those activities as ‘not appropriate’ or ‘unbecoming.’ Ultimately, we believe that all our mountains, including Beaver Creek, should have a wide variety of activities year-round, that make them accessible to the widest number and types of guests – not just to a select few. We would imagine that the Beaver Creek homeowners have a high respect for property rights and are disappointed that some have chosen to not respect ours in this situation.”

“We understand that there has been a reactivation of a previous lawsuit which in our opinion is not relevant. We disagree with their allegations and will vigorously defend our position. After spending so much time with property owners to respond to their concerns expressed in 2006 – including close to 10 meetings since February of this year – we are very surprised and disappointed that they are reactivating their lawsuit because our dramatically revised plans are responsive, terrific, and will engage a broader group of kids from different income and diverse backgrounds at our premier resort and in the outdoors as only we know how to do.”

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